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International sporting glory for Teesside academic

Dr Gill Owens, a Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Management, competed in the event in Malaga after altruistically donating a kidney to a complete stranger in March 2015.

This was the first year donors have been allowed to compete in the World Transplant Games and Gill managed to win a silver in the 100m sprint.

Gill, who is an ambassador and trustee of the Give a Kidney Foundation, was part of the 250-strong GB team in Spain. She received exercise, training and dietary support from experts at the University before heading off to the Games.

She said: ‘Taking part is a chance to promote the cause of both organ donation and transplant sport to help demonstrate that you can enjoy a perfectly fit, healthy and active life after either donating or receiving a kidney.'

Gill came second to another competitor who had donated bone marrow to her twin sister.

She added: ‘I may not have got gold, but I’m certainly now the fastest altruistic female donor on the planet.’